Minority Access, a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization, proposes to convene in a one and one-half day session in September 29-30, 2011 at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Washington, D.C. a summit of approximately thirty of the nation's celebrated researchers and experts on addressing health disparities to share their expertise and insights on Best Practices in acting to close the health disparities gap between minorities and the general population. Each year for the past eleven years Minority Access has convened and honored as Role Models, in cooperation with 170 colleges and universities and with support from the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health, student, faculty and alumni biomedical researchers and their supporters at a National Role Models Conference. The rationale has been to honor as Role Models high achievers in advancing biomedical research so that others would emulate them -- just as people idolize and emulate famous athletes and entertainers -- which logically should lead to an expansion in the pool of biomedical researchers, more research, more cures, and a narrowing of the health disparities gap. We now propose to convene approximately ten percent of the leading Role Models at a summit to share their insights on best practices to pursue to close the health disparities gap which is still wide and that Congress in its recent action in elevating the Center to the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities has given a renewed mandate to close. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The Health Disparities Best Practices Summit will be aligned with NIHs mission of uncovering new knowledge that will lead to better health for everyone. Through a multi-tiered approach of communication, coordination and collaboration, Summit participants will develop best-practice models for increasing awareness and understanding of disparities in health. By assembling leading researchers to share the many challenges contributing to the gaps in health disparities research, the Summit will foster discussions into integrating strategies for capacity building and outreach to ensure that the information is being disseminated to all who need them.